This article on WP Central seems to indicate stronger enterprise support:
http://www.wpcentral.com/microsoft-reveals-more-about-how-enterprise-will-manage-windows-phone-8

It looks as if the next version of Windows Intune may provide functionality for Mobile Device Management:
http://windowsteamblog.com/windows/b/business/archive/2012/04/18/what-s-next-with-windows-intune.aspx

Be sure to check out the developer request for Enterprise Development Support:
http://wpdev.uservoice.com/forums/110705-app-platform/suggestions/2749545-enterprise-development-support

How does this affect transferring data from a WindowsPhone 7 device to a new WindowsPhone 8 device?

Has anyone seen this article on WP Central?
http://www.wpcentral.com/backing-your-windows-phone-using-connector-mac

Apparently WindowsPhone can be backed up via Microsoft Connector for Mac.

How could this be!?!?

I can't help but feel a bit... hurt.

WindowsPhone 8 "Apollo" announced:
http://windowsteamblog.com/windows_phone/b/windowsphone/archive/2012/06/20/announcing-windows-phone-8.aspx

No mention of any backup and restore feature.

This is interesting...

Cloud services for Windows 8 and Windows Phone: Windows Live, reimagined(From the Building Windows 8 Blog):
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2012/05/02/cloud-services-for-windows-8-and-windows-phone-windows-live-reimagined.aspx

Watch the video. From 0:35 to 0:52 we are introduced to a cloud-based capability for Windows 8 that allows the user to sync their settings.

All of what seems to be emphasized is cloud-based storage of email, contacts and calendars - a given, really - along with storage via SkyDrive. It appears that you'd have to pro-actively store certain bits of information. Messaging info via text seems to be missing altogether; and and device/OS settings is only on Windows 8.

Things like App Settings are not mentioned at all.

The cloud-based features are exciting and seem to bring things further along with Windows 8. We can only hope that similar features will be made available for WindowsPhone... even if it's a couple years after its launch.

@Bryan great story!

Now that the #SmartPhoneBetaTest is apparently over, those of us that have been unknowingly involved are reporting on our findings. We are reporting on missing core functionality in an effort to make SmartPhones - specifically WindowsPhone devices - better.

The votes don't lie.

This would also be a useful component of enterprise mobile device management, as mentioned in this suggestion:
http://windowsphone.uservoice.com/forums/101801-feature-suggestions/suggestions/2820542-enterprise-mobile-device-management

It's not a #FreeTimeMachine if you have to start all over on a new device or if something happens to your current device.

This also affects game app progress, especially games that use Live achievements.

See this developer request for the ability to restore game app data based on Live achievements or stored data:
http://wpdev.uservoice.com/forums/110705-app-platform/suggestions/2781249-provide-mechanism-for-game-app-progress-fallback

Also see about converting from Apple and Google:
http://windowsphone.uservoice.com/forums/101801-feature-suggestions/suggestions/2748569-convert-data-from-apple-and-google

See a detailed breakdown of this missing core feature here:
http://windowsphone.uservoice.com/forums/101801-feature-suggestions/suggestions/2748349-full-backup-capability-with-restore-transfer-funct

See the following thread for a detailed breakdown of this sorely-missing core functionality:
http://windowsphone.uservoice.com/forums/101801-feature-suggestions/suggestions/2748349-full-backup-capability-with-restore-transfer-funct